1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tire alert systems, specifically a flat tire alert system for detecting flat tires on trailers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use flat tire alerting or indicating devices for indicating when an automobile tire has lost a predetermined amount of air pressure therein. If an automobile tire goes flat due to insufficient tire pressure or blows out due to the penetration of sharp objects during driving, it is very likely that the tire will suffer from a “slow leak” versus becoming flat immediately. Therefore, the puncture in the tire would be difficult to detect if it is not serious. This could take some time before the driver is aware of the punctured tire. In this situation, there is an increased risk for an accident if the driver makes a sudden brake during driving. Some improvements have been made in the field to resolve this problem. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,935, issued to Bonardi et al., discloses a tire monitoring (TM) system includes a peak detector signal filter that is configured to substantially prevent impulse noise from increasing a data slicer threshold, while simultaneously allowing the data slicer threshold to follow the variations in a received message attributable to signal fading. The TM system also automatically determines the location of a plurality of vehicle tires relative to the vehicle; utilizes a single receiver to receive messages of multiple lengths and masks an alarm when a missing ID code corresponds to a stored ID code associated with a flat tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,192, issued to Cowit, discloses an air-operated switch device is provided in a housing having an internally threaded part threadedly coupled to the valve stem of a tire. The switch device is in operative proximity with the valve stem and has an open condition when the tire pressure is above a predetermined air pressure and a closed condition when the tire pressure is reduced to one below a predetermined air pressure. The switch device has a movable electrical contact device controlled in position by the pressure of air in the tire. A circuit electrically connects a battery, an audible alarm device and a radio transmitter in the housing with the switch device in circuit whereby when the switch device is moved to its closed condition the battery actuates the alarm device and the transmitter. A radio receiver receives a signal transmitted by the transmitter thereby indicating that the tire is flat.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2003/0201880, by Lu, discloses an automobile flat tires/tire blowout alert system—a detecting system combining a micro-processor and several pairs of alert indicators with an ultrasonic sensor. With the ultrasonic sensor to detect the height variation between each tire and the ground, the system monitors the variation of the each tire's tire pressure. Then, after the micro-processor calculates and contrasts the detected status, the buzzer sends out alert signals and commands the alert indicators to signalize for identification, which in turn to maintain the security of the automobile's tires and prevent them from being damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,173, issued to Sadri, discloses a low pressure tire indicator is a mechanical device for producing an audible warning to the driver of low or inadequate tire pressure. The low pressure tire indicator includes a strap for mounting the low pressure tire indicator to a wheel hub. A spring housing is mounted on the strap, rocker arm is mounted on an anchor pin positioned within the spring housing, and extends away from the wheel hub towards the inside tread wall of a pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel hub. The rocker arm includes a roller on a free end for engaging the inside tread wall of the tire during a low pressure condition. A hammer is mounted on the anchor pin and moves in unison with the rocker arm. A spring is mounted on the anchor pin, and, during proper tire inflation, normally urges the hammer into contact with the wheel hub, and normally positions the roller on the free end of the rocker arm between the wheel hub and the inside tread wall of the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,264, issued to Barabino, discloses a system is provided for signaling an operator that a vehicle's tire pressure is over or under a preset range. A pressure responsive diaphragm within the tire causes a reed to vibrate when the tire pressure goes over or under a predetermined range and vibration of the reed is sensed by a slave reed in the vehicle which, in turn, generates a signal to the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,726, issued to Fujikawa et al., discloses a low tire pressure alarm system for pneumatic tires, wherein a radio transmitter which is adapted to produce an alarm signal of a predetermined frequency upon detection of an abnormal pressure drop is accommodated in a hollow casing for mounting on a wheel cap casing of a vehicle wheel. The alarm signal is transmitted through the hollow casing per se or through a metal coating on the hollow casing where the latter is formed from a non-conductive material. The transmitted signal is received by a receiving set which includes a receiving antenna located on the underside of the vehicle body for shielding the same from spurious or extraneous signals and a radio receiving unit mounted within a luggage compartment of signals. Upon reception of the alarm signal, the radio receiver actuates an alarming device which produces a flashing light or sounds to indicate the pressure drop to an operator of the vehicle.
U.S. Design Pat. No.: D366,846, issued to Handfield et al., discloses ornamental design for a tire pressure monitor.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being unsuitable for trailers, expensive, inconvenient, and/or difficult to install.
What is needed is a flat tire alert system that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.